Abstract: The invention describes a metrology system allowing for the reduction of the errors caused by vibration of the production floor and allowing for measurements of the thickness of wafers in motion. This is accomplished by performing simultaneous measurements of spectra containing interference signals containing distance information using a plurality of probes positioned on both sides of the measured wafer on the same detector at the same time or by means of plurality of synchronized detectors. System is also able to measure thickness of the individual optically accessible layers present in the sample.

Abstract: The invention describes a metrology system allowing for the reduction of the errors caused by vibration of the production floor and allowing for measurements of the thickness of wafers in motion. This is accomplished by performing simultaneous measurements of spectra containing interference signals containing distance information using a plurality of probes positioned on both sides of the measured wafer on the same detector at the same time or by means of plurality of synchronized detectors. System is also able to measure thickness of the individual optically accessible layers present in the sample.

Abstract: We describe apparatus for measurement of thickness and topography of slabs of materials employing probes with filters using polarization maintaining fibers.

Abstract: We describe apparatus for measurement of thickness and topography of slabs of materials employing probes with filters using polarization maintaining fibers.

Abstract: A method for non-contact measurement of stress in a thin-film deposited on a substrate is disclosed. The method may include measuring first topography data of a substrate having a thin-film deposited thereupon. The method may also include comparing the first topography data with second topography data of the substrate that is measured prior to thin-film deposition. The method may further include obtaining a vertical displacement of the substrate based on the comparison between the first topography data and the second topography data. The method may also include detecting a stress value in the thin-film deposited on the substrate based on a fourth-order polynomial equation and the vertical displacement.

Abstract: Inspecting a multilayer sample may include receiving, at a beam splitter, light and splitting the light into first and second portions; combining, at the beam splitter, the first portion of the light after being reflected from a multilayer sample and the second portion of the light after being reflected from a reflector; receiving, at a computer-controlled system for analyzing Fabry-Perot fringes, the combined light and spectrally analyzing the combined light to determine a value of a total power impinging a slit of the system for analyzing Fabry-Perot fringes; determining an optical path difference (OPD); recording an interferogram that plots the value versus the OPD for the OPD; performing the previous acts of the method one or more additional times with a different OPD; and using the interferogram for each of the different OPDs to determine the thicknesses and order of the layers of the multilayer sample.

Abstract: A system for inspecting a slab of material may include an optical fiber, a broadband light source configured to emit light having wavelengths of 780-1800 nanometers over the optical fiber, a beam-forming assembly configured to receive the light over the optical fiber and direct the light toward a slab of material, the beam-forming assembly may be configured to maintain the position of one or more elements within the beam-forming assembly despite changes in environmental temperature; a computer-controlled etalon filter configured to receive the light over the optical fiber, filter the light, and direct the light over the optical fiber; and a computer-controlled spectrometer configured to receive the light over the optical fiber after the light has been filtered by the etalon filter and after the light has been reflected from or transmitted through the slab of material and spectrally analyze the light.

Abstract: Inspecting a multilayer sample. In one example embodiment, a method may receiving, at a beam splitter, light and splitting the light into first and second portions; combining, at the beam splitter, the first portion of the light after being reflected from a multilayer sample and the second portion of the light after being reflected from a reflector; receiving, at a computer-controlled system for analyzing Fabry-Perot fringes, the combined light and spectrally analyzing the combined light to determine a value of a total power impinging a slit of the system for analyzing Fabry-Perot fringes; determining an optical path difference (OPD); recording an interferogram that plots the value versus the OPD for the OPD; performing the previous acts of the method one or more additional times with a different OPD; and using the interferogram for each of the different OPDs to determine the thicknesses and order of the layers of the multilayer sample.

Abstract: A method for non-contact measurement of stress in a thin-film deposited on a substrate is disclosed. The method may include measuring first topography data of a substrate having a thin-film deposited thereupon. The method may also include comparing the first topography data with second topography data of the substrate that is measured prior to thin-film deposition. The method may further include obtaining a vertical displacement of the substrate based on the comparison between the first topography data and the second topography data. The method may also include detecting a stress value in the thin-film deposited on the substrate based on a fourth-order polynomial equation and the vertical displacement.

Abstract: Operations related to error reduction in measurement of samples of materials may include operations in which a first distance measurement may be obtained between a first probe and a first surface of a sample at a first time mark. Additionally, the operations may include obtaining a second distance measurement between a second probe and a second surface of the sample at a second time mark. Operations may further include obtaining a third distance measurement between the first probe and the first surface of a sample at a third time mark, and determining a fourth distance measurement between the first probe and the first surface of the sample at the second time mark. In addition, the operations may include determining a thickness of the sample, including an error term due to vibration of the sample. The error term may be discounted from the thickness of the sample.

Abstract: Operations related to error reduction in measurement of samples of materials may include operations in which a first distance measurement may be obtained between a first probe and a first surface of a sample at a first time mark. Additionally, the operations may include obtaining a second distance measurement between a second probe and a second surface of the sample at a second time mark. Operations may further include obtaining a third distance measurement between the first probe and the first surface of a sample at a third time mark, and determining a fourth distance measurement between the first probe and the first surface of the sample at the second time mark. In addition, the operations may include determining a thickness of the sample, including an error term due to vibration of the sample. The error term may be discounted from the thickness of the sample.

Abstract: A method for non-contact measurement of stress in a thin-film deposited on a substrate is disclosed. The method may include measuring first topography data of a substrate having a thin-film deposited thereupon. The method may also include comparing the first topography data with second topography data of the substrate that is measured prior to thin-film deposition. The method may further include obtaining a vertical displacement of the substrate based on the comparison between the first topography data and the second topography data. The method may also include detecting a stress value in the thin-film deposited on the substrate based on a fourth-order polynomial equation and the vertical displacement.

Abstract: A system for inspecting a slab of material may include an optical fiber, a broadband light source configured to emit light having wavelengths of 780-1800 nanometers over the optical fiber, a beam-forming assembly configured to receive the light over the optical fiber and direct the light toward a slab of material, the beam-forming assembly may be configured to maintain the position of one or more elements within the beam-forming assembly despite changes in environmental temperature; a computer-controlled etalon filter configured to receive the light over the optical fiber, filter the light, and direct the light over the optical fiber; and a computer-controlled spectrometer configured to receive the light over the optical fiber after the light has been filtered by the etalon filter and after the light has been reflected from or transmitted through the slab of material and spectrally analyze the light.

Abstract: Inspecting a multilayer sample. In one example embodiment, a method may receiving, at a beam splitter, light and splitting the light into first and second portions; combining, at the beam splitter, the first portion of the light after being reflected from a multilayer sample and the second portion of the light after being reflected from a reflector; receiving, at a computer-controlled system for analyzing Fabry-Perot fringes, the combined light and spectrally analyzing the combined light to determine a value of a total power impinging a slit of the system for analyzing Fabry-Perot fringes; determining an optical path difference (OPD); recording an interferogram that plots the value versus the OPD for the OPD; performing the previous acts of the method one or more additional times with a different OPD; and using the interferogram for each of the different OPDs to determine the thicknesses and order of the layers of the multilayer sample.

Abstract: Inspecting a multilayer sample may include receiving, at a beam splitter, light and splitting the light into first and second portions; combining, at the beam splitter, the first portion of the light after being reflected from a multilayer sample and the second portion of the light after being reflected from a reflector; receiving, at a computer-controlled system for analyzing Fabry-Perot fringes, the combined light and spectrally analyzing the combined light to determine a value of a total power impinging a slit of the system for analyzing Fabry-Perot fringes; determining an optical path difference (OPD); recording an interferogram that plots the value versus the OPD for the OPD; performing the previous acts of the method one or more additional times with a different OPD; and using the interferogram for each of the different OPDs to determine the thicknesses and order of the layers of the multilayer sample.

Abstract: A system for inspecting a slab of material may include an optical fiber, a broadband light source configured to emit light having wavelengths of 780-1800 nanometers over the optical fiber, a beam-forming assembly configured to receive the light over the optical fiber and direct the light toward a slab of material, the beam-forming assembly may be configured to maintain the position of one or more elements within the beam-forming assembly despite changes in environmental temperature; a computer-controlled etalon filter configured to receive the light over the optical fiber, filter the light, and direct the light over the optical fiber; and a computer-controlled spectrometer configured to receive the light over the optical fiber after the light has been filtered by the etalon filter and after the light has been reflected from or transmitted through the slab of material and spectrally analyze the light.

Abstract: A system for inspecting a slab of material may include a polarization maintaining single mode optical-fiber, a linearly polarized broadband light-source configured to emit a polarized-light over the optical fiber, a beam-assembly configured to receive the light over the optical fiber and direct the light toward a slab of material; a polarization-rotator for controlling polarization of the light directed to the slab of material from the beam-assembly; a computer-controlled etalon filter configured to receive the light over the optical fiber, filter the light, and direct the light over the optical fiber; and a computer-controlled spectrometer configured to receive the light over the optical fiber after the light has been filtered by the etalon filter and after the light has been reflected from or transmitted through the slab of material and spectrally analyze the light.

Abstract: A system for inspecting a slab of material may include a polarization maintaining single mode optical-fiber, a linearly polarized broadband light-source configured to emit a polarized-light over the optical fiber, a beam-assembly configured to receive the light over the optical fiber and direct the light toward a slab of material; a polarization-rotator for controlling polarization of the light directed to the slab of material from the beam-assembly; a computer-controlled etalon filter configured to receive the light over the optical fiber, filter the light, and direct the light over the optical fiber; and a computer-controlled spectrometer configured to receive the light over the optical fiber after the light has been filtered by the etalon filter and after the light has been reflected from or transmitted through the slab of material and spectrally analyze the light.

Abstract: Inspecting a multilayer sample. In one example embodiment, a method may include receiving, at a beam splitter, light and splitting the light into first and second portions; combining, at the beam splitter, the first portion of the light after being reflected from a multilayer sample and the second portion of the light after being reflected from a reflector; receiving, at a computer-controlled system for analyzing Fabry-Perot fringes, the combined light and spectrally analyzing the combined light to determine a value of a total power impinging a slit of the system for analyzing Fabry-Perot fringes; determining an optical path difference (OPD); recording an interferogram that plots the value versus the OPD for the OPD; performing the previous acts of the method one or more additional times with a different OPD; and using the interferogram for each of the different OPDs to determine the thicknesses and order of the layers of the multilayer sample.

Abstract: A method for non-contact measurement of stress in a thin-film deposited on a substrate is disclosed. The method may include measuring first topography data of a substrate having a thin-film deposited thereupon. The method may also include comparing the first topography data with second topography data of the substrate that is measured prior to thin-film deposition. The method may further include obtaining a vertical displacement of the substrate based on the comparison between the first topography data and the second topography data. The method may also include detecting a stress value in the thin-film deposited on the substrate based on a fourth-order polynomial equation and the vertical displacement.